冀西北万全地区大麻坪地幔岩包体高温高压弹性波研究及其地质意义

对河北大麻坪碱性玄武岩及其内的辉石岩和二辉橄榄岩包体进行了不同温压条件下的弹性波速测定。结果表明,岩石波速与压力正相关,与温度负相关;相同条件下二辉橄榄岩的弹性波速最大,辉石岩次之,玄武岩最小。在1.4GPa压力下获得二辉橄榄岩和辉石岩的弹性波速分别为7.87km/s和7.47km/s,最接近壳幔过渡带的弹性波速。而现代地球物理资料显示该地区莫霍面深度为32km,认为26Ma以来,该地区发生了大规模的岩石圈减薄地质事件。     

不同构造环境下的壳─幔过渡带结构

位于中国西北部的天山造山带与准噶尔盆地是典型的盆岭构造。通过对横跨天山造山带与准噶尔盆地的沙雅-布尔津地学断面地震宽角反射、折射资料进行小波分析,获得了天山造山带与准噶尔盆地壳-幔过渡带的详细结构。结果表明,天山造山带的壳-幔间是以多个薄层过渡的。这些薄层的层厚度2～3km不等,层速度高低相间,总厚度约20km,平均速度较低,接近塔里木盆地下地壳的速度。塔里木盆地北缘与准噶尔盆地的壳-幔间不具有这种特点,其壳-幔间主要表现为一级间断面。而位于中国东北部的间阳-海城-东沟深地震测深剖面所揭示的辽东台隆-辽河盆地-燕山台褶带壳-幔过渡带的结构似乎具有完全相反的特征：辽河盆地的壳-幔过渡带比较复杂,它由数个薄层叠合而成,总厚度达15km;辽东台隆与燕山台褶带壳-幔过渡带结构十分简单,皆以一级间断面过渡为主。研究认为,造成二者差异的主要原因是它们所处的构造环境不同：前者为挤压环境,而后者为伸展环境。在挤压环境下,复杂的壳-幔过渡带形成于造山带的下面;而在伸展环境下,复杂的壳-幔过渡带形成于盆地的下面。壳-幔过渡的复杂程度与构造活动性相联系,在一定程度上反映了岩石圈目前的构造活动水平。     

不同构造环境下的壳─幔过渡带结构

位于中国西北部的天山造山带与准噶尔盆地是典型的盆岭构造。通过对横跨天山造山带与准噶尔盆地的沙雅-布尔津地学断面地震宽角反射、折射资料进行小波分析,获得了天山造山带与准噶尔盆地壳-幔过渡带的详细结构。结果表明,天山造山带的壳-幔间是以多个薄层过渡的。这些薄层的层厚度2～3km不等,层速度高低相间,总厚度约20km,平均速度较低,接近塔里木盆地下地壳的速度。塔里木盆地北缘与准噶尔盆地的壳-幔间不具有这种特点,其壳-幔间主要表现为一级间断面。而位于中国东北部的间阳-海城-东沟深地震测深剖面所揭示的辽东台隆-辽河盆地-燕山台褶带壳-幔过渡带的结构似乎具有完全相反的特征：辽河盆地的壳-幔过渡带比较复杂,它由数个薄层叠合而成,总厚度达15km;辽东台隆与燕山台褶带壳-幔过渡带结构十分简单,皆以一级间断面过渡为主。研究认为,造成二者差异的主要原因是它们所处的构造环境不同：前者为挤压环境,而后者为伸展环境。在挤压环境下,复杂的壳-幔过渡带形成于造山带的下面;而在伸展环境下,复杂的壳-幔过渡带形成于盆地的下面。壳-幔过渡的复杂程度与构造活动性相联系,在一定程度上反映了岩石圈目前的构造活动水平。     

秦岭洛阳—伊川—十堰—秭归地学断面大陆岩石圈的岩石学模型

根据该地学断面Ｖｐ结构模型，造山带中基性火成岩、金伯利岩和花岗岩中的深源包体资料，以及火成岩和变质岩，特别是超高压变质岩和超基性岩的分布和组成所揭示的壳幔深部组成的信息，结合与相对应的岩石实验Ｖｐ数据的对比，建立了秦岭洛阳－伊川－十堰－秭归地学断面及邻区的岩石圈组成的岩石学模型。这一岩石学模型表明，华北与扬子克拉通，南北秦岭造山带与其克拉通的过渡带岩石圈的岩石学模型各不相同。华北克拉通下地壳是以麻粒岩相中酸性片麻岩和紫苏花岗岩为主，同时含有基性麻粒岩，而扬子克拉通的下地壳是以角闪岩相－麻粒岩相酸性片麻岩和ＴＴＧ为主体，广泛存在基性火成岩层。南北秦岭造山带的中下地壳各自继承了扬子和华北克拉通的中下地壳的特点，但已被强烈改造；南北秦岭造山带上地幔组成差异性较大，北秦岭上地幔上部以榴辉岩及榴闪岩为主，而南秦岭以蛇纹石化橄榄岩为主体，各单元１００ｋｍ以下的地幔都是一样的，都是石榴石二辉橄榄岩组成。因此，秦岭造山带是一个具有近３０亿年历史的由不同大陆块体拼合组成的，不具简单的岩石圈分层结构样式。     

辽西中生代的壳幔过渡带的形成、破坏与改造

利用火成岩及其携带的捕虏体的岩石学、年代学等研究成果,反演辽西中生代时期的壳幔相互作用,重塑这时期的壳幔边界组成。对应于中生代活跃的壳幔相互作用,辽西义县-北票一带理论上应该存在一个发育的壳幔过渡带。然而现今的各种地球物理研究显示辽西的莫霍面是清晰的间断面,其上、下地震波速变化从6.5～6.7km/s 截然变成8.0～8.1 km/s。壳幔过渡带到那里去了?围绕这一问题,本文依据火山岩及其捕虏晶的研究,探讨了在软流圈底辟体上涌背景下,壳幔过渡带被破坏和改造的原因。最后从演化角度将辽西与张家口和西藏高原的壳-幔边界进行了比较。     

华北克拉通东部岩石圈破坏与幔柱的成因

华北克拉通东部是指大兴安岭—太行山重力梯度带以东的地区。该地区与东北及华南地区一样,也存在着岩石圈减薄和岩石圈破坏的现象。华北克拉通古生代与新生代的橄榄岩包体地热值分别为40mW/m~2和80mW/m~2,地热增高是岩石圈破坏的重要因素。中国东部—朝鲜半岛的GRACE卫星布格重力异常呈巨型环状展布,可能是地幔亚热柱所致。区内郯庐断裂带呈NNE向纵贯切割,最新的地震反射剖面成果反映,该断裂带以走滑为主,兼有逆冲和正断层,所组成的大型"花状"复杂断裂构造带,切穿地壳、莫霍面,直至岩石圈地幔,起到破坏岩石圈的作用。S波速成像结果证实,在苏鲁造山带下方,分布的碎块状波速扰动带延伸300km,应是中生代扬子板块走滑俯冲、断离、折返的产物;而在渤海湾盆地下方,下地幔也存在陡倾的破碎带,延伸300km,在岩石圈76km处及其深部,S波速降低,扰动很剧烈,可能是地幔柱头部呈粗大状的反映,故可认为渤海湾盆地是由蘑菇云状的地幔柱形成。再从华北克拉通的大陆根来看,东部为A型反时针pT轨迹麻粒岩分布,而中西部则为B型麻粒岩,这是因为东部新太古代绿岩带中赋存有科马提岩,其岩浆温度可高达1 600℃,如用幔柱构造模型解释成因最为合适。通过研究近年大量地震反射P波和S波层析资料,华北克拉通的东部在晚侏罗-早白垩世及新生代期间,受太平洋板块俯冲和地幔热柱上隆的相互作用,深部的地幔流体常沿构造破裂带运移,促使岩石圈拆沉,并发生热侵蚀作用,形成酸性大火成岩省(SLIP)、裂谷型盆地的广泛分布和成矿成藏作用的"大爆发"。由此认为,建立区域构造模型将有利于指导深部找矿工作。     

华南大陆东部壳幔结构的宽频带地震学探测

华南大陆是新元古代以来全球地质演化历史最复杂的地区之一, 也是欧亚板块东南缘地壳生长和大陆增生最活跃, 大规模构造变形、岩浆活动和多金属矿产资源最丰富的地区。揭示该区浅表构造与岩浆活动和成矿作用机制离不开对深部壳幔结构的研究。宽频带地震学是开展深部壳幔结构探测的重要手段, 基于宽频带地震学数据可以刻画地壳-岩石圈-上地幔-地幔过渡带不同深度和尺度的深部结构, 为深入理解研究区的深部构造、动力学过程、岩浆活动与成矿作用提供有效约束。本文较全面地总结了近二十年来在华南大陆东部地区开展的宽频带流动地震探测工作, 并对研究区的地壳厚度、Vp/Vs比值、岩石圈底界(LAB)深度、上地幔速度结构与各向异性等进行了分析与讨论。本文旨在为相关研究人员和团队提供未来在该区新布设地震探测台站时的参考, 也可为后续深入研究该区的深部结构与成矿过程提供一些深部要素约束。     

地幔置换作用:华北两类橄榄岩及其透辉石微量元素对比证据

在华北地块东部，河南鹤壁新生代玄武岩中的耐熔橄榄岩捕虏体被认为是克拉通地幔的残留；山东山旺饱满橄榄岩捕虏体被认为是新生代玄武岩所捕获的新生地幔物质，对它们全岩的常量、微量元素，组成单矿物的常量元素和透辉石微量元素进行了对比．结果显示代表古老岩石圈的鹤壁克拉通型地幔和代表新生岩石圈的山旺“大洋型”地幔分别相当于原始地幔经历15％一25％和1％一5％熔融的产物．它们在熔融之后又都遭受了硅酸盐质碳酸岩熔体的交代改造作用，但前者明显强于后者．古老岩石圈橄榄岩的固相线温度受地幔熔／流体的长期交代而降低．由于早中生代时华北地块受扬子地块碰撞的地幔热扰动和软流圈上涌影响，促使橄榄岩熔融．所融出的基性岩浆主要垫托在地壳底部，形成壳-幔过渡带并实现大规模的壳-幔物质和热交换．第三纪以后的热沉降使抬升的软流圈物质冷却垫托在岩石圈底部构成新增生的岩石圈．因此，发生于东部的中、新生代(相对于古生代)岩石圈减薄不是软流圈抬升所引起的简单岩石圈厚度变小，而是伴随着新生地幔物质对古老地幔的置换过程．     

南海北部及其沿岸中、新生代壳幔相互作用与构造演化——纪念“陆缘扩张带”概念的倡导者陈国达教授

新生代火山岩中的深源捕虏体资料反映,南海北部及其沿岸地区岩石圈地幔的主体由主量元素易熔组分相对饱满的、同位素组成类似MORB-OIB型的、高温型的二辉橄榄岩所组成;但在其顶部残留有古老的岩石圈地幔,它由主量元素易熔组分相对贫瘠的、同位素组成类似EM型的、较低温的方辉橄榄岩组成。在下地壳底部,分布着由晚中生代幔源岩浆分离结晶和堆晶的基性麻粒岩。由此提出了该区中、新生代壳 -幔或岩石圈 -软流圈相互作用与构造演化的简略模式: (1)印支期 -燕山早期为地壳岩石圈厚度增大的华夏型后地台活化造山带环境;(2)燕山晚期岩石圈快速减薄(如拆沉作用),造山带拉伸塌陷,地壳深处并发生广泛的底侵作用; (3)始新世 -渐新世软流圈再次上涌(如地幔柱的影响),岩石圈地幔发生底蚀减薄,地壳也因为下部层的塑性流展和上部层的张裂拉伸而减薄; (4)中新世以来,由于地幔热源在拉伸环境中被释放,壳幔发生冷却,部分软流圈地幔转化为“新生的”岩石圈地幔。研究进一步说明,南海北部陆缘扩张是该区大陆构造演化到大陆活化造山带后期,在深部壳 -幔的相互作用下,岩石圈所发生的垂向减薄和侧向伸展,既不同于弧后扩张,也不是受控于大西洋式的海底扩张。     

中生代华北南缘带状岩石圈结构特征及其大陆形成演化意义

大陆岩石圈根的形成与破坏是当前固体地球科学的重大研究课题之一.对独具时空特色的华北东部地块南缘信阳中生代火山岩中一系列包括下地壳镁铁质-长英质的麻粒岩、榴辉岩、变辉长岩、辉石岩和上地幔橄榄岩等岩石包体进行了系统的定深、定年研究, 建立了华北中生代(~160Ma) 多块体结合部位的组成和年龄呈带状结构的岩石圈几何模型, 并在此基础上分析了形成的动力学过程.在华北南缘地表出露最老~2.85Ga的岩石之下的30km处(上部下地壳), 由年龄为3.6~3.4Ga的长英质麻粒岩和辉石岩组成; 更深处30~40km位置, 则由具古元古代年龄(2.0~1.8Ga) 的镁铁质-长英质麻粒岩和变辉长岩构成, 其形成过程与华北东部地块与西部地块的碰撞有关, 记录着全球性的哥伦比亚超大陆汇聚事件.Hf同位素数据显示在这次重要事件里, 既有新生地幔物质加入, 也有古老地壳(3.8~3.0Ga) 组分的再熔融作用.在来自下地壳更深处的榴辉岩(40~45km) 和上地幔橄榄岩(> 45km), 它们的主要年龄分别是古生代(440~260Ma) 和早中生代(228~219Ma), 记录着在显生宙不同时期扬子与华北碰撞的动力学过程.      

Lower crustal xenoliths from Junan,Shandong province and their bearing on the nature of the lower crust beneath the North China Craton

Geochronological, petrological and geochemical studies were performed on the granulite xenoliths from a Late Cretaceous basaltic breccia dike in Junan, Shandong province, eastern China. These xenoliths show close similarities to the Nushan granulite xenoliths from the southern margin of the North China Craton (NCC) and the Archean granulite terrains in terms of mineralogy and bulk rock compositions, but are quite different from the Hanuoba mafic granulite xenoliths from the northern NCC. In-situ zircon U–Pb age and Hf isotopic analyses, together with geochemical data reveal that the protolith of these xenoliths was formed around 2.3 Ga ago, through assimilation–fractional crystallization of a mafic magma. P–T conditions of these xenoliths suggest that the lower crust beneath the Junan region reaches to a depth of 35 km, which agree well with the result deduced from various geophysical methods. The consistent petrological and seismic Moho depths, the observed velocity structure and calculated velocity of these xenoliths imply the absence of underplating induced crust–mantle transition zone, which was well formed in the northern NCC. Compared to 40–50 km depth of the lower crust in Early Jurassic, the lower crust beneath Junan extended to a depth of 30 km in Late Cretaceous, suggesting that the lower crust of NCC was significantly thinned during Late Mesozoic.     

The lithospheric mantle beneath the Kerguelen Islands (Indian Ocean): petrological and petrophysical characteristics of mantle mafic rock types and correlation with seismic profiles

Deep-seated meta-igneous xenoliths brought to the surface by alkali basaltic magmas from the Kerguelen Islands reveal that basaltic magmas have intruded the upper mantle throughout their geological evolution. These xenoliths record volcanic activity associated with their early South East Indian Ridge location and subsequent translation to an intraplate setting over the Kerguelen Plume. The meta-igneous xenoliths sample two distinctive geochemical episodes: one is tholeiitic transitional and one is alkali basaltic. Geothermobarometry calculations provide a spatial context for the rock type sequence sampled and for interpreting petrophysical data. The garnet granulites equilibrated over a pressure range of 1.15 to 1.35 GPa and the garnet pyroxenite at 1.8 GPa. Ultrasonic measurements of compressional wave speed V_P have been carried out at pressures up to 1 GPa, and densities measured for representative samples of meta-igneous xenoliths and for a harzburgite that represents the peridotitic mantle. V_P and density have also been calculated using modal proportions of minerals and appropriate elastic properties for the constituent minerals. Calculated and measured V_P agree well for rock types with microstructures not complicated by kelyphitic breakdown of garnet and/or pervasive grain-boundary cracking. Pyroxene granulites have measured and calculated V_P within the range 7.37-7.52 km/s; calculated velocities for the garnet granulites and pyroxenites range from 7.69 to 7.99 km/s, whereas measured and calculated V_P for a mantle harzburgite are 8.45 and 8.29 km/s respectively. The seismic structure observed beneath the Kerguelen Islands can be explained by (1) a mixture of underplated pyroxene granulites and ultramafic rocks responsible for the 2-3 km low velocity transitional zone below the oceanic layer 3, (2) varying proportions of granulites and pyroxenites in different regions within the upper mantle producing the lateral heterogeneities, and (3) intercalation of the granulites and pyroxenites throughout the entire upper mantle column, along with elevated temperatures, accounting for the relatively low mantle velocities (7.70-7.95 km/s).     

Petrology of Lower Crustal and Upper Mantle Xenoliths from the Cima Volcanic Field, California

Basaltic rocks of the Cima volcanic field in the southern Basinand Range province contain abundant gabbro, pyroxenite, andperidotite xenoliths. Composite xenoliths containing two ormore rock types show that upper-mantle spinel peridotite wasenriched by multiple dike intrusions in at least three episodes;the mantle was further enriched by intergranular and shear-zonemelt infiltration in at least two episodes. The oldest dikes,now metamorphosed, are Cr-diopside websterite. Dikes of intermediateage are most abundant at Cima and consist of igneous-texturedwebsterite and two-pyroxene gabbro and microgabbro of tholeiiticor calcalkalic parentage. The youngest dikes are igneous-texturedclinopyroxenite, gabbro, and olivine microgabbro of alkalicparentage. The dikes in peridotite are interpreted as partsof a system of conduits through which tholeiitic (or calcalkalic)and alkalic magmas fed lower-crustal intrusions, which are representedby abundant xenoliths of the same igneous rock types as observedin the dikes. Mineral assemblages of dikes in peridotite indicatethat an enriched uppermost mantle zone no thicker than 15 kmcould have been sampled. Because of their high densities, thegabbros and pyroxenites can occupy the zone immediately abovethe present Moho (modeled on seismic data as 10-13 km thick,with V_p 6.8 km/s) only if their seismic velocities are reducedby the joints, partial melts, and fluid inclusions that occurin them. Alternatively, these xenoliths may have been derivedentirely from beneath the Moho, in which case the Moho is notthe local crust-mantle boundary.     

下地壳及壳幔过渡带化学不均一性──河北汉诺坝地区深源捕虏体元素地球化学证据

河北汉诺坝玄武岩中长英质麻粒岩、镁铁质麻粒岩和辉石岩捕虏体的主量元素和微量元素特征,反映了下地壳及壳幔过渡带组成具有高度化学不均一性。不相容元素原始地幔标准化曲线特征的差异表明捕虏体成因复杂。MgO与不相容元素无或仅有很弱的相关性,与相容元素的相关性则相对较明显。这些特征反映了下地壳及壳幔过渡带存在较强和多元的混合作用。捕虏体的加权平均值比基于麻粒岩地体资料估算的下地壳平均组成偏基性,揭示了二者可能的成因差异。     

A composite geologic and seismic profile beneath the southern Rio Grande rift, New Mexico, based on xenolith mineralogy, temperature, and pressure

A complete understanding of the processes of crustal growth and recycling in the earth remains elusive, in part because data on rock composition at depth is scarce. Seismic velocities can provide additional information about lithospheric composition and structure, however, the relationship between velocity and rock type is not unique. The diverse xenolith suite from the Potrillo volcanic field in the southern Rio Grande rift, together with velocity models derived from reflection and refraction data in the area, offers an opportunity to place constraints on the composition of the crust and upper mantle from the surface to depths of  60 km. In this work, we calculate seismic velocities of crustal and mantle xenoliths using modal mineralogy, mineral compositions, pressure and temperature estimates, and elasticity data. The pressure, temperature, and velocity estimates from xenoliths are then combined with sonic logs and stratigraphy estimated from drill cores and surface geology to produce a geologic and velocity profile through the crust and upper mantle. Lower crustal xenoliths include garnet ± sillimanite granulite, two-pyroxene granulite, charnokite, and anorthosite. Metagabbro and amphibolite account for only a small fraction of the lower crustal xenoliths, suggesting that a basaltic underplate at the crust–mantle boundary is not present beneath the southern Rio Grande rift. Abundant mid-crustal felsic to mafic igneous xenoliths, however, suggest that plutonic rocks are common in the middle crust and were intraplated rather than underplated during the Cenozoic. Calculated velocities for garnet granulite are between  6.9 and 8.0 km/s, depending on garnet content. Granulites are strongly foliated and lineated and should be seismically anisotropic. These results suggest that velocities > 7.0 km/s and a layered structure, which are often attributed to underplated mafic rocks, can also be characteristic of alternating garnet-rich and garnet-poor metasedimentary rocks. Because the lower crust appears to be composed largely of metasedimentary granulite, which requires deep burial of upper crustal materials, we suggest the initial construction of the continental crust beneath the Potrillo volcanic field occurred by thickening of supracrustal material in the absence of large scale magmatic accretion. Mantle xenoliths include spinel lherzolite and harzburgite, dunite, and clinopyroxenite. Calculated P-wave velocities for peridotites range from 7.75 km/s to 7.89 km/s, with an average of 7.82 km/s. This velocity is in good agreement with refraction and reflection studies that report P_n velocities of 7.6–7.8 km/s throughout most of the Rio Grande rift. These calculations suggest that the low P_n velocities compared to average uppermost mantle are the result of relatively high temperatures and low pressures due to thin crust, as well as a fertile, Fe-rich, bulk upper mantle composition. Partial melt or metasomatic hydration of the mantle lithosphere are not needed to produce the observed P_n velocities.     

Geochronology, petrology and geochemistry of the granulite xenoliths from Nushan, east China: implication for a heterogeneous lower crust beneath the Sino-Korean Craton

The occurrence of both Archean granulite terrains and granulite xenoliths in Cenozoic basalts from the Sino-Korean Craton (SKC) provides an ideal opportunity to define composition and evolution of continental lower crust of eastern China. The granulite xenoliths in Quaternary basanites from Nushan (southeastern SKC) show a basic-intermediate composition that is distinctly different from mafic granulites from Hannuoba (western SKC). They instead resemble the Archean granulite terrains in terms of mineral and whole rock compositions. Trace element modeling suggests that the “protoliths” of the Nushan granulites were likely subjected to fractional crystallization and assimilation of old crustal components. Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb dating shows at least two episodes in the formation of the lower crust at Nushan. The protoliths of the Nushan granulites were most likely formed at ca. 2.5 Ga and metamorphosed at 1.9 Ga. This late Archean crustal growth was followed by Mesozoic (∼140 Ma) basaltic underplating, which was probably coeval with the widespread thermo-tectonic lithospheric reactivation in eastern China. The Nushan granulites are therefore interpreted as dominantly derived from the late Archean crystalline basement and subordinately from the mafic layer that was accreted to the basement during late Mesozoic lithospheric thinning. The consistencies between the depth to seismic Moho and the depth to crust-mantle boundary, and between the calculated V_p (mostly < 7.0 km/s) for granulite xenoliths and the observed velocity structure strongly suggest no obvious high-velocity lowermost crust beneath Nushan and the granulite xenoliths as the dominant components in the lower crust at this locality. The modeled composition of the Nushan lower crust has SiO₂ of ca. 52%, which is more basic than that at Hannuoba (SiO₂ ≈ 58%, Liu et al., 2001). Such a compositional difference, in conjunction with contrasting age and seismic velocity structure of the lower crust at the two localities, highlights two fundamentally distinct tectonic domains in the SKC. The data presented in this study also yield implication for the origin of the compositional difference between granulite xenoliths and terrains.     

Origin of high-velocity anomalies beneath the Siberian craton: A fingerprint of multistage magma underplating since the Neoarchean

Despite the violent eruption of the Siberian Traps at ~ 250 Ma, the Siberian craton has an extremely low heat flow (18–25 mW/m²) and a very thick lithosphere (300–350 km), which makes it an ideal place to study the influence of mantle plumes on the long-term stability of cratons. Compared with seismic velocities of rocks, the lower crust of the Siberian craton is composed mainly of mafic granulites and could be rather heterogeneous in composition. The very high V_p (> 7.2 km/s) in the lowermost crust can be fit by a mixture of garnet granulites, two-pyroxene granulites, and garnet gabbro due to magma underplating. The high-velocity anomaly in the upper mantle (V_p = 8.3-8.6 km/s) can be interpreted by a mixture of eclogites and garnet peridotites. Combined with the study of lower crustal and mantle xenoliths, we recognized multistage magma underplating at the crust-mantle boundary beneath the Siberian craton, including the Neoarchean growth and Paleoproterozoic assembly of the Siberian craton beneath the Markha terrane, the Proterozoic collision along the Sayan-Taimyr suture zone, and the Triassic Siberian Trap event beneath the central Tunguska basin. The Moho becomes a metamorphism boundary of mafic rocks between granulite facies and eclogite facies rather than a chemical boundary that separates the mafic lower crust from the ultramafic upper mantle. Therefore, multistage magma underplating since the Neoarchean will result in a seismic Moho shallower than the petrologic Moho. Such magmatism-induced compositional change and dehydration will increase viscosity of the lithospheric mantle, and finally trigger lithospheric thickening after mantle plume activity. Hence, mantle plumes are not the key factor for craton destruction.     

Interpretation of a seismic-refraction survey across the Arabian shield in western Saudi Arabia

In February 1978 seismic-refraction profiles were recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey along a 1000 km line across the Arabian Shield in western Saudi Arabia. This report presents a traveltime and relative amplitude study in the form of velocity-depth functions for each individual profile assuming horizontally flat layering. The corresponding cross section of the lithosphere showing lines of equal velocity reaches to a depth of 60–80 km.The crust thickens abruptly from 15 km beneath the Red Sea Rift to about 40 km beneath the Arabian Shield. The upper crust of the western Arabian Shield yields relatively high-velocity material at about 10 km depth underlain by velocity inversions, while the upper crust of the eastern Shield is relatively uniform. The lower crust with a velocity of about 7 km/s is underlain by a transitional crust-mantle boundary. For the lower lithosphere beneath 40 km depth the data indicate the existence of a laterally discontinuous lamellar structure where high-velocity zones are intermixed with zones of lower velocities. Beneath the crust-mantle boundary of the Red Sea rift most probably strong velocity inversions exist. Here, the data do not allow a detailed modelling, velocities as low as 6.0 km/s seem to be encountered between 25 and 44 km depth.     

The meta-igneous granulite xenoliths from Kerguelen Archipelago: evidence of a continent nucleation in an oceanic setting

Xenoliths of meta-igneous origin occur as one of the two main types of ultramafic and mafic xenoliths entrained by alkaline lavas of the Kerguelen islands. These are designated type II xenoliths and are subdivided into three mineralogical groups. Subtype IIa and IIc xenoliths are interpreted as crystallisation products of basaltic melts that were emplaced near the crust-mantle boundary during the early tholeiitic–transitional magmatic activity of the Kerguelen islands. Younger magmatism became more alkaline and subtype IIb xenoliths were formed as high-pressure alkaline cumulates related to the last alkaline volcanic stage. Subsequently, the plagioclase-bearing type II rocks have been re-equilibrated under granulite facies conditions. This addition of mafic material around the crust-mantle boundary is consistent with seismic evidence for crustal thickening to 14–20 km. Calculated compressional seismic velocities (Vp) for the basic granulites are consistent with the range of observed Vp in the low-velocity region underlying the oceanic crust. Such growth in the thickness of the oceanic crust may be caused by intrusion of basalts at different levels in the lithosphere and may provide the heat responsible for granulitic metamorphism in the oceanic setting. This study suggests that basic granulites can account for the observed seismic characteristics of oceanic plateaux and can be important components of Kerguelen oceanic lithosphere where there has been large-scale magma production. Moreover we speculate that the Kerguelen islands and perhaps the surrounding plateau represent a continental nucleation process. Received: 30 September 1997 / Accepted: 17 June 1998